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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3.E 3/3/2014 • Agenda/Wenn/#3 .E SA.Ltr, ruin 9 • 185$ DATE: March 3, 2014 TO: Honorable Mayor and Member e -the'City Councilthrough City Manager FROM: Dan . , •• or of Public Works&Utilities Joe " /. 4 sit Manager SUBJECT: Approve a Resolution Authorizing Petaluma to Submit an Application to the Metropolitan TransportationCommission`for Fiscal Year 12/13 and 13/14 Transit Performance Incentive Funds RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve a resolution authorizing Petaluma to submit an application for Transit.Performance Incentive Funding offered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).and committing any necessary matching funds and stating the assurance to complete the project. BACKGROUND • Under the high-profile MTC Transit-Sustainability Project, MTC sets funding aside for transit operators who perform exceptionally by increasing ridership,.lowering;costs, and/or improving in various key performance,criteria. While first year funding went primarily to the larger operators in San Francisco and;Oakland, small operators are guaranteed to receive 15% of the regional TPL=annual funding going,forward based on three main'performance metrics: Overall ridership, increases in ridership and productivity. MTC setup,the;funding to reward systems that. deliver improved services and attract.higher ridership and improved productivity during what havebeen lean funding times: Petaluma Transit is in strong,position to earn incentive funds because of the effective service restructuring and and streamliningthatoccurred in 2010 andre fnsustained improvements in lannmgmarketing and o erations. These efforts haveledoremarkable ridership growth from 154,000 annual passengers.in'FY 08/09; to a projected ridership of over 350,000 this fiscal year. Petaluma Transit has enjoyed its;rebirth at the optimal time to receive these funds. Petaluma is eligible to earn.S 152,222 inTP1 funding broken down,as follows: 'FY 12/13 - $6,493, FY 13/14: - $145,729. The proposed, action meets.Council Goal: "Plan for and implement priority capital projects as funding permits". Agenda Review: City Attorney Finance Director City Manager DISCUSSION Looking forward, Petaluma Transit (PT) is unlikely:to sustain growth`atthe recent pace of over 20%per year. Fleet capacity lacking, plusitransit-friendly market segments have been largely ideveloped in recent years. Cultural and environmental constraints such as universal free parking still prevail and challenge future ridership,growth:therefore, future TPI funding will likely go down. However, PT will continue,to,grow ata slower pace, witha•modest,goal of 10% per year and TPI funds are expected in'future years, albeit in smaller amounts. Due to the fluctuating,andvolatile nature of the TPI incentive funds,;capital projects are the primary funding target along with'subsidization of means-based pass,programs. Staff recommends that the funds, if received, be used to construct the initial pilot phase of the proposed Transit Signal,Priority (TSP) project as addressed in a companion agenda bill to Council. The TSP project will^provide faster travel times.and;more reliable fixed route bus service by upgrading traffic signal equipment at all intersections along PT's City routes. TSP is proven to save 10%'of running tithe all day, every day for bus routes in urban/suburban areas which willeliminate or:delay costly additions of service caused bytraffic delays and missed connections.'Once.TSP is deployed, future TPI funds can continue to be applied to support the QuarterlyPass, the-City's deeply-discounted bus pass for low-income students. The Transit Advisory Committee':passed,a resolution to recommend that City Council authorize submittal of the subject TPI application. FINANCIAL IMPACTS The local thatch of$44,778 for these incentive funds is from'Transportation Development Act (TDA) transit funds and traffic impact-fees. If successful, the grant will increase funding to PT in the amount of$152,222;to fund the proposed Transit Signal Priority pilot corridor. Any remaining funds will be used for future expansion of the TSP project th other parts of Petaluma. ATTACHMENTS 1. Resolution 2 i • Attachment 1 • AUTHORIZING THE:FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR TRANSIT PERFORMANCE'INCENTIVE FUNDING'OFFERED BY MTC AND COMMITTING ANY NECESSARY MATCHING FUNDS.AND STATING'THE ASSURANCE TO CO1VIPLETE;THE„PROJECT WHEREAS;City of Petaluma(hereinsreferred to as APPLICANT) is submitting an application to theMetropolitan-Transportation Commission (MTC) for_FY 12/13 and 13/14 Transit Performance Incentive.Funding in the amount of$152,222 in.MTC discretionary funding, including-but not limited to.federal funding administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) such',as Surface Transportation Program (STP) funding, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) funding and/or Transportation Alternatives (TA) funding (herein collectively referred`to as REGIONAL_DISCRETIONARY FUNDING) for the City of Petaluma Transit SignahPriorityProject (hereinereferred to,as PROJECT) for the Transit Performance Incentive (TPIJ Program (herein referred"te as%PROGRAM); and WHEREAS, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century.Act (Public Law 112- 141, July 6, 2012) and any extensions or successor legislation for continued funding (collectively, MAP 21)authorize'various federal fundingprograms-including, but not limited to the Surface Transportation Program(STP);(23 U.S.C. §133),the'Congestion-Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program,(CMAQ)'(23 U.S.C. §, 149) and the Transportation Alternatives Program(TA) (23 U.S C. §.2i'3:); and WHEREAS;,state statutes, including California Streets and Highways Code 182.6 and 182.7 provide various funding.programs for the programmingdiscretion of the Metropolitan Planning:Ofganization,(MPO)and the;Regional Transportation'Planning-,Agency (RTPA); and WHEREAS, pursuant to.MAP-21 and any re ulations promulgated thereunder, eligible project sponsors wishing to'receive federal funds for a project shallisubmit an application first with the appropriate:MPO for review andrinclusion in the MPO's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) "and WHEREAS';MTC is the.MPO and RTPA for the ninecounties of the San Francisco Bay region; and WHEREAS, MTC has adopted a;Regional Project Funding Delivery,Policy(MTC Resolution No. 3606;(revised)°that sets outprocedures governing the application and use,of federal binds; and • WHEREASAPPLICANT is an;eligible:sponsor for REGIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING; and WHEREAS,?as part of the:application for REGIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING, MTC requires a resolutionadopted by the=responsible implementing agency the following: 3 1. the cothmiitment of any required.matching funds of at least;11.47%;:and 2. that the'sponsor understands thatthe REGIONAL;DISCRETIONARY FUNDING'is fixed at the programmed amount, and thereforeiany cost_increase cannot be expected to be funded`with additionQl REGIONAL DISCRETIONARYFUNDING and 3. project comply p- delivery milestones and funding deadlines spec fiedin the R-Regional Proje t Funding Delivery Policy (MTC Resolution No. 3666, revised); and 4. the assurance of the sponsor to complete_the project as;described`in the application, and if approved, as included in MTC's':_federal Transportation Improvement Program (TIP); and 5: that the,project willcomplywith'all project-specific:requirements asset forth in the PROGR=AM;,and 6. that the:project (transit'only)will comply with MTC Resolution No. 3866, revised, which sets•forth the;requirements of MTC's Transit Coordination Implementation Plan to•more efficiently delivertransit projects in the region: NOW,•THEREFORE 'BE,lT'RESOLVED that the APPLICANT is authorized to execute and file•an application for funding for the PROJECT for REGIONAL:DISCRETIONARY FUNDING under MAP-21 forcontinued funding; and be it farther RESOLVED that the.APPLICANT by adopting thisresolution does hereby state that: I. APPLICANT will provide $44;778 in matching funds, and 2. APPLICANT understandsthat the REGIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING for .the,project.is fixed at the MTC approved programmed,amount,;and that any cost increases must be•funded.by the APPLICANT from other°funds, and that APPLICANT doesmot expectaany cost increases to be funded with additional REGIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING, and 3. APPLICANT understandsithe funding,deadlines_associated•with these funds and will comply with the provisions•and requirements of,the Regional Project Funding Delivery_Policy (MTC Resolution No..3606, revised)�and:APPLICANT has, and will retain-the expertise, knowledge and•resources necessary to deliver federally-funded transportation projects, and hasassigned, and will.maintain a single point of contact for,all,FH,WA funded transportation projects,t ;coordinate-withinthe agency and with the respective Congestion Management Agency(CMA), MTC,,Caltrans;and FHWA on all communications, inquires of issues that may'arise;during the;federal. • programming and delivery process'for all FHWA-funded transportation projects• implemented by APPLICANT; and 4. PROJECT'will be implemented as described in the••complete application and.i this resolutionand,;if approved,;for the amount approvedMTC and programmed in the federal TIP;and 5. APPLICANT and the.PROJECT will cOmply with the requirements as set forth:in MTC progranvning guidelinesiand project selectionnprocedures for the PROGRAM; and 4 • 6. APPLICANT (for a transit projectonly)'agrees tip.comply witliahe requirements of MTC's'TransitCoordination'Implementation Plan;as set fo"rth'in MTC Resolution 3866, revised; and therefore•be"itfurther RESOLVED that APPLICANTis';authorized•to submit.an°application for REGIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING for the PROJECT; and be itfurther • RESOLVED that there is.no legal impediment to APPLICANT making applications for the funds;;and:be it further° RESOLVED:that there is no pending threatened litigation that might in any way adversely affect.the'proposed PROJECT, or the ability ofAPPL''ICANT to deliver such PROJECT; andbe'it further RESOLVED that APPLICANT authorizes its"City;Manager, ordesignee to execute and file an application with MTC for REGIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING for the PROJECT as referenced in this resolution; and that:a copy of this resolution will be transmitted to the MTC in conjunction With thefilingrof the applicatibn;and be it further NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT'RESOLVED that-the City•Council ofthe City of Petaluma hereby authorizes the submittal ofan application to MTC for Transit Performance Incentive funds in the amount,of$152,222 for fiscal years,12/13 and T3/14 and directs the City Manager to execute the projectcontract on behalf of the City of Petaluma. • 5